


Spidersilk

by Alarnia



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DONT LIKE SPIDERS OR BUGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, FUCKING SPIDERS, M/M, No Beta, Other, Spider!Caleb, Spiders, Xenophilia, spider hugs, spoilers for e67
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-07 19:55:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19216414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alarnia/pseuds/Alarnia
Summary: Caleb isn't so bright when he polymorphs himself into beasts. In some ways this makes him happier, less scared. Sometimes he does things he'd never do if he were smarter. Caduceus thinks he's pretty cute.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Don't look at me I'm a monster

The sight of Caleb, in his new 8-legged form was eerie, at first, but there is something strange and charming about the wizard’s clumsy fumbling and hissing clicks that quickly endears him to Caduceus. He’s so talkative when he takes his animal forms. Caduceus wonders whats on Caleb’s human mind so much that it keeps his lovely accent from whispering its way to his ears when its in a language he can understand.

 

That doesn’t mean the hair on his arms doesn’t prickle when He suddenly finds himself being backed into an alcove by the gigantic hairy beast.

 

The rest of their troupe seems to have moved on, Caleb’s latest antics unnoticed by any of them besides Caduceus.

 

“Woah woah, hey, what’s up Mr. Caleb?” Caduceus said, pressing his free hand against Caleb’s thorax, in the relatively safe juncture between clacking chelicerae and Caleb’s front appendages. Pedipalps stroke up his arm and towards his face in a gesture that Caduceus is wise enough to interpret as affectionate, rather than hungry as his baser instincts tell him. He tamps down on the impulse to fight or flee. This is Caleb, Caleb’s nice.

 

Venom dripped from Caleb’s fangs, and soaked into the sleeve of Caduceus’ shirt. He flinched, expecting pain… but nothing happened. There was something warm on the air, Caduceus’ nostrils flared with it, but the smell was subtle, and impossible to place.

 

As distracted as Caduceus was he was unprepared when Caleb moved in closer, barreling into Caduceus so that their sternums touched. Caduceus giggled as 6 furry limbs  wrapped around him in a hug. The weight of Caleb’s arachnoid body was heavy, but not uncomfortable as he pinned against the smooth, slightly sticky, stone wall.

 

“Yeah thats nice,” Caduceus smiled. He wrapped his arms around Caleb, fingers carding through surprisingly soft fur. He could feel Caleb’s fangs nuzzling into his collar, clicking against his chitinous armor. He could feel weirdly hot venom soaking into his shirt, and slicking up his throat, but now that he knew it was harmless, he didn’t pay it much mind.

 

Caleb seemed to tremble as Caduceus’ hands petted down his back. 

 

“Dang, you’re really excited, huh? What’s got you so worked up?” A quiet laugh rumbled through his chest. He felt warm, comfortable. Caleb pushed against him, his bulbous abdomen squishing against his thighs as if Caleb were trying to get as close as possible to Caduceus.

 

He tightened his arms, and pressed a gentle kiss to an empty space between two of Caleb’s many eyes, and hoped it would be soothing. Caleb squeaked softly. 

 

And then Caleb’s polymorph spell dissipated, it’s time supposedly run out.

Caduceus was left with a bundle of disheveled wizard in his arms, his face still buried in Caduceus neck. His mouth separated from his skin with a wet pop as Caleb mind returned to him.

 

“O-oh  _ Sheisse _ I’m- I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” Caduceus watched Caleb’s face flush with color as he untangled their bodies. There is an unmistakable bulge in his trousers, and realization suddenly dawns on Caduceus. No wonder he was being so affectionate.

 

“It’s ok,” Caduceus said, feeling like he was floating. “You don’t need to be embarrassed.” Caduceus reached out with the corner of his sleeve and wiped some of the venom-turned-spit from his chin. Caleb stiffened under his touch, ice blue eyes suddenly piercing into him, open with surprise and as beautiful as crystal.

 

“I… we-” Caleb stuttered, “The others are going to leave us behind.”

 

“yeah.”

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider Caleb does a jig

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok this one is a lot cuter. This is the spider dance I was imagining for this fic: https://youtu.be/mq-r20mlGes

It’s been a few weeks since their party delved into the tombs beneath Bazzoxan. Between Caduceus and Caleb there’s been no mention of their embarrassing encounter. Caduceus hopes Caleb isn’t upset with him… but it seems that Caleb is more upset with himself than anything. Caduceus gives him his space despite the party’s attempts to meddle. 

 

They find themselves traveling west again, through the Vermaloch wildwood, where they accidentally stumble into another nest, and find themselves attacked on all sides by giant spiders for not the first time in their journeys through Xhorhas. Amidst the flurry of combat Caduceus watches one spider pounce, pinning Caleb to the ground. It’s smaller than the rest but it sports a dazzling pattern of colors. It’s beautiful really.

 

Caleb, in a panic, polymorphs himself into a creature identical to the other one. The situation seems painfully similar to something Caduceus has seen before, but he can’t quite remember why.

 

The fight ends in a blur. Caleb is rescued, and given a wide berth by the rest of the nein as his spider body stumbles between trees and thick walls of webbing in search of loot. Like before Caleb diligently follows Caduceus’ direction. Aimlessly tossing anything of worth from sacks of melted food, and hissing happily when Caduceus praises him for finding items of particular value.

 

Half and hour passes and the nest is nearly upended. Caleb jumps down from a tree, not far from Caduceus, chittering. 

 

“Good job Caleb, “ Caduceus said, beaming as he tucked a fine porcelain tea set, scavenged from the remains of the nest. It no doubt once belonged to some unfortunate merchant. He reached out one hand to pat the patch of iridescent fur above Caleb’s Luminous set of eyes. Caleb’s stripey legs flailed up into the air, as if in surprise.

 

The limbs stayed up when Caduceus moved away. The both of them looking at each other with some confusion. Eventually Caleb started swaying to some strange rhythm, beating his pedipalps and his forelegs in the air in a manner that could have almost been called a dance. Caduceus watched as a bewildered smile started to spread over his face.

 

“Caleb…?” Caduceus heard Fjord speak from somewhere behind him. The sound mirroring his own confusion, although fjord seemed far more creeped out than he was.

 

Meanwhile Caleb had started moving back and forth, slowly shimmying closer to Caduceus with his abdomen raised high, the pattern on his back in full view and dazzling. Caduceus’ smile widened when Caleb started wiggling his butt from side to side.

 

This impromptu dance continued for several more minutes, Caduceus his attentive audience whereas the rest of the nein were more stunned into silence than anything else. Eventually Caleb was nearly face to face with Caduceus, but slightly shorter. His arms spread out like he was inviting Caduceus in for a hug.

 

“You are very silly,” Caduceus rumbled before reaching out. Caleb chittered happily as large hands scrubbed through his fur.

 

Not long after Caleb’s human form was restored. Just as flustered as before, but this time Caduceus knew to hold on, at least for a little while. Spider hugs were nice, but Caduceus thought he preferred hugging Caleb when he was more himself. He felt a deep satisfaction roll through him when he felt Caleb relax against him.

 

“Yeah that's nice,” Caduceus smiled, resting his chin on top of Caleb’s scalp. The smile widened a little at the sound of Caleb’s grunt of agreement.

 

“ _ Get a room! _ ” Beau yelled.

 

Caleb quickly pulled away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one more for the road.

The next time Caduceus sees Caleb’s spider form its far less cuddly.

 

He awakes in the middle of the night to find he’s been swaddled in webbing, and strung up on the ceiling of his bedroom. He’s wrapped from the shoulders down. He didn’t go to bed like this. Sure, he’d gone to bed early, feeling the weight of travel starting to bring him down, and so he’d thought a little extra rest would do him good. So he didn’t know what the mighty nein had gotten up to in the night. But they were in a quiet little town far far away from the war. The innkeeper was a peach, glad to have guests of any kind at her inn. They had the run of the place too, Caduceus got the room with the largest bed all to himself.

 

There was absolutely no reason he could think of that would require Caleb to turn himself into a giant spider, sneak into his room, and tie him up like a juicy fly.

 

Caduceus felt a shiver down his spine as a set of 6 eyes lit up in the dark, catching the moonlight as it gently filled the room. The wind outside howled. The clouds were moving. 

 

“Caleb…?” Caduceus said warily. He could barely make out Caleb’s darkened form in the shadow. He was the large fiendish one again, spiney and striped with red. He was hanging from the ceiling just above the web-hammock Caduceus was cocooned in.

 

Caleb’s fangs clicked, he let out a gurgling sound. Caduceus tested the strength of his bindings, but even with his giantkin strength the struggle proved fruitless. He needed something sharp. Or flames, but he’d hate for the inn to catch fire after the owner had been so kind to them.

 

“Is everything alright?” Caduceus asked, fighting to keep his voice level as the creature slowly crawled closer, travelling up the ceiling so that those six glowing eyes were eye level with him. It chittered again, and Caduceus wished he could understand animals as well as they could understand him. He would just have to find another way to understand Caleb.

 

The other times Caleb had been a spider… he’d been much happier, by Caduceus’ estimation. He wondered what was different about this time, other than the obvious. Caleb was driven by logic. So there had to be a reason, even if Caduceus struggled to grasp it. The irony that he would normally get Caleb’s help for these kinds of problems was not lost on him.

 

Wind buffeted against the side of the Tavern, and the house groaned as it settled. Luminescent eyes flashed and scanned the room, and then Caduceus watched Caleb climb through a hole in the webbing and walk out over the underside of the web hammock. He couldn’t see him, but Caduceus squirmed as he felt spider feet on his back.

 

“It’s just the wind, Caleb,” Caduceus said into the air. He hoped Caleb was paying attention. “... no one is going to bother us here.” He added after a moment. He felt feet shift over him, agitated.

 

“We’re safe here,” Caduceus soothed. And when no other sounds from the house emerged, Caleb eventually returned to the nest, long legs spread over Caduceus form, almost protectively. Caduceus watched Caleb’s chelicerae move, nervously cleaning his face, scrubbing his pedipalps. It reminded Caduceus of how Caleb would scratch the scars on his arms.

“I wish you would change back so that you could tell me whats wrong.”  sighed after a long stretch of silence.

 

Caleb just stared, went still.

 

“Do you think I’m mad at you for this? Or are you embarrassed?” Caduceus frowned, though his face was still fond. Caleb clicked at him.

 

“Well I’m not. Not angry, that is. I do wish I could move though, as nice as this is. It’s very cozy. Like a swaddling hug. So don’t be embarrassed, its a nice gift. But I think I’d prefer a bed, and if someone does attack us in the night, I’d like to be able to protect you too.” Caduceus said.

 

“It’s not fair for you to protect me and not allow me to do the same for you, Caleb. We’re better as a team, right?”

 

Caleb chittered, shifted restlessly. Caduceus wanted to hug him.

 

“Please?” 

 

Caduceus watched Caleb slowly transform then, a slow willing transition rather than the abrupt ones Caduceus had seen in the past. The shift left Caleb seated somewhere around where Caduceus’ hips would be. Caduceus watched realization spread over Caleb’s face, although it was slower than what he would normally expect of Caleb. It was then that he picked up the other details of the human body of Caleb. His face was pink, the smell of alcohol wafted from his breath, and there was a large damp spot on his collar that smelled the same.

 

Caduceus tsked when he heard Caleb sniffle, and the man promptly laid down over Caduceus’ form.

 

“Sorry…”

 

“It’s alright, can you please cut me loose?”

 

“Oh,  _ ja _ one moment bitte- hm?” Caleb let out a confused sound, Caduceus looked down to see Caleb jerking lightly, but otherwise unmoving.

 

Caleb was stuck to his own web.

 

“I’m stuck.” Caleb announced.

 

“I… Mr. Caleb. Please.” Caduceus tried to keep the disappointment out of his tone. And tried not to think about how he kind of needed to pee with Caleb’s weight spread over his belly.

 

“I’m  _ trying _ .” Caleb hissed,  tugs growing more frantic. He cursed slightly as he pulled one hand free, apparently at the cost of his arm hair.

 

“I… I can’t get to my knife, I’m going to try burning it.” Caleb said, with an edge of apprehension.

 

“Can you keep it controlled?” Caduceus asked skeptically.   
  


“ _ Ja _ . Of course I can!” Caleb said, a little too quickly. Caduceus swallowed the nerves climbing up his throat. What other option did they have besides wait for someone to come find them in the morning? Caduceus somehow  couldn’t stand the thought of that.

 

Caduceus closed his eyes as the smell of burning web filled the air, which quickly became noxious even with Caleb’s careful small uses of his spells. He was going to open a window as soon as possible. The tavern keeper was going to be so cross with them for ruining one of her best rooms.

 

He tried not to focus on the sometimes uncomfortable heat that made its way to his skin through the webs. But considering Caleb was spread prone over his body there was not much Caleb could do to avoid burning some of the webs around Caduceus.

 

“There, I’m free, now I can start with y-” Caleb announced, just as a ripping sound filled the room.  Cad eyes opened, looked about as he felt his body lurch and sink several inches. Holes left by Caleb’s spell work were widening, tearing. And Now they were falling.

 

Landing safely back onto Caduceus’ bed. Caduceus Grunted as Caleb fell directly on top of him, knocking the air out of him.

 

“ _ Sheisse _ that scared me-” Caleb said in a rush, before leaned over Caduceus, clutching his chest.

 

“Ow…” Caduceus wheezed.

 

“Oh-  _ oh no _ ” Caleb looked up his expression awkwardly tight, like he was fighting a smile. But Caduceus could see how Caleb’s shoulders were shaking. Caduceus supposes this is pretty funny.

 

“Are you ok?” Caleb said, struggling not to laugh.

 

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just- please get off me, and get rid of the rest of these webs.

 

“Mh _ yja,  _ I can do that.” Caleb managed to say, before working on clearing away the rest of the webbing on Caduceus’ front. But before long he’s reduced to giggles, and Caduceus can’t help but laugh with him.

 

They curl up eventually, too tired in these small hours of the night, to do much more. And in the morning Caduceus curls around Caleb so that he is tucked securely into his chest. They look up at the ceiling and think about how much work it's going to take to clear away the rest of the cobwebs.

 

When Caduceus stands up, all the blankets and bed clothes go with him, as they are all still glued to his back. Caleb falls into a fit of laughter.


End file.
